Typically, utility meters (e.g., gas meters, water meters, electricity meters, etc.) are read manually by meter readers who are employees or contractors of the various utility providers. Manual meter reading represents a significant cost to a typical utility provider. However, with the advent of wireless technology, including mesh networking, utility providers have sought methods and systems for remote reading of water meters and even the remote control of water supply valves.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) or Advanced Metering Management (AMM) are systems that measure, collect and analyze utility data using advanced metering devices such as water meters, gas meters, and electricity meters. In addition to measuring the various utilities, the advanced metering devices are also configured with communication circuitry, enabling the metering devices to transmit and receive data through the AMI network. In a typical configuration, an advanced metering device (e.g., an advanced water meter) measures and collects utility data (e.g., water usage data) at a customer's location. The metering device then uses a connected communication component, referred to herein as a “node,” to transmit meter data to a host associated with the utility provider, often in response to the host's request for such information. In this way, the utility providers may remotely “read” customer usage data for billing purposes.
Because of the remote placement nature of the metering devices and associated nodes, it is desirable to maximize a battery life of the metering devices and nodes in order to reduce down time and to reduce the amount of maintenance that must be performed on the metering devices and nodes. Similarly, it is desirable to maximize responsiveness in communications between various the nodes and the host.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.